


Distant Thunder

by starblossoms59



Series: Tsukihana Musings [1]
Category: TsukiPro the Animation
Genre: M/M, Tsukihana Kagura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:20:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27948959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starblossoms59/pseuds/starblossoms59
Summary: Its shape could barely be seen through the cloudy darkness, but surely, it was still there.Over a year ago, that very volcano…-One evening, Morihito goes out and admires the horizon.
Relationships: Arihara Morihito/Oohara Sora (implied)
Series: Tsukihana Musings [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2046845
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Distant Thunder

**Author's Note:**

> This does spoil Ivesta 2: Tsukihana Kagura, so you've been warned.
> 
> Set ~1 year after the past portion of the play.

The sky was dark when Morihito stepped outside.

He inhaled deeply, taking in the coldness of the night air, the smell of the dirt beneath his feet and the hints of autumn in the breeze.

_It's been over a year._

Pale green eyes fell upon the landform in the distance. Its shape could barely be seen through the cloudy darkness, but surely, it was still there. Mount Kataku, the great volcano that had divided the continent on more than one occasion.

_Over a year ago, that very volcano…_

"Mori."

Blonde curls shifted as Morihito turned.

"Sou."

Soushi leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, a lone lamp-like eye gazing off into the distance.

"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?"

Morihito smiled sheepishly. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well, you do it basically every night nowadays." Soushi pursed his lips. "He's not coming back."

"I know." Morihito's fingers curled into fists. "I need to let go, I know that. But…"

"It's hard," Soushi finished.

"You know?" Green eyes once again shifted to gaze upon the slumbering volcano in the distance. "He was teaching Ren to play the _shamisen_. At night, as I finished up my work, I'd hear them practicing together."

"…Ren was learning _shamisen?_ "

"Ah, he didn't tell you, huh…" Morihito chuckled. "I guess he wanted it to be their little secret, him and Sora." His expression softened. "Whenever they had lessons though, they sounded so happy. The music they played together was the kind that would bring a smile to anyone's face." He folded his fingers in his lap. "…I guess that's the thing I regret most."

"Giving up the _shamisen_?" Soushi asked.

"No." Morihito shook his head. "Not…not playing with Sora. Not being able to smile with him some more."

Soushi was silent.

"I guess it's too late now." Morihito stared down at his hands, fiddling with his fingers. "All I can really do is hope that he's at least resting peacefully now."

Silence.

"Sou?" Morihito lifted his head and blinked when he found that Soushi was no longer in the doorway. "He could have said something if he was leaving," he murmured.

 _Perhaps it's for the best._ He closed his eyes. _But I still would like someone to talk to about this._

"…Senpai?"

He jumped and spun around.

"Ren?"

The silver-haired boy smiled sheepishly. "Good evening."

"What are you doing here?"

"Ah, well…" Ren stepped out from the doorway, revealing the wooden instruments in his hands. "Sou-nii asked me to bring these to you."

"Eh?"

"Good evening!" Another figure appeared behind Ren. "Mori-senpai, good evening to you!"

"Nozomu too…" Morihito smiled. "Good evening, Nozomu. Did Sou also..?"

"Yeah!" Nozomu wrapped an arm around Ren and beamed. "The more the merrier, yeah?"

"Nozomu, careful!" Ren scolded.

"Well, that's everyone." Soushi stepped behind Nozomu and pried the boy's arm off Ren's shoulders. "Ren, why don't you and Mori get set up?"

"Hm? Oh, alright."

The dirt crunched beneath Ren's feet as he crossed the courtyard and held out a _shamisen_.

"For you, senpai."

"Thank you." Morihito took the instrument and _bachi_. "But why..?"

"You're thinking about Sora-senpai again, right?" Ren gazed off into the distance, at the sleeping volcano. "His body may be gone from this world, but his spirit still lives within all of us."

"We all loved him lots, after all!" Nozomu called out.

"Mmm." Ren nodded. "And, well, Sora-senpai also loved music, so…"

"Play him something, Mori."

Green eyes met with a sole tawny iris. Soushi nodded.

"Go on. You and Ren both. Music is always better with company."

Ren bowed. "I'll do my best..!"

"I'll listen lots!" Nozomu laughed.

"You three…" A sheepish smile spread across Morihito's face. "I haven't played in ages, you know?"

"Eh, but you were good at it. You can't have forgotten that easily."

"Being "good" has nothing to do with that."

Soushi snorted. "Being good has nothing to do with talent either."

Morihito was silent.

"Mori, please. Just one song. The one melody Sora played all the time—he taught it to you, right Ren?" A nod. "And I know you can probably play it by ear, Mori. It won't be bad. Besides…" Soushi gazed off into the horizon. "I think he'd want to hear what kind of sound your heart makes."

Ren smiled softly when he saw Morihito's shoulders relax into a sigh.

"Alright." The blonde curled his fingers around the instrument as he took a seat on a nearby stone. "Just one song."

"I'll be in your care." Ren bowed.

Nozomu took a seat on the ground before the two, patting the space beside him and waving at Soushi, who sighed before crossing the way to sit beside the redhead. Morihito's fingers teased the strings as he readjusted his grip on the instrument.

 _How long has it been?_ He mused. _Since I gave this up._

Blue eyes laid upon him, patient, and waiting. With a slight nod, Morihito positioned his fingers over the strings.

The first note rang through the air—bright, perhaps even out of tune, but sharp and clear like a cloudless day.

The second one followed, ringing with tenacity from Ren's instrument. A bold sound, but clearly still muddled with…hesitation? Novicity? Whatever it was, it was a sound that matched the boy now furrowing his eyebrows in concentration.

The rest of the notes fell in place afterwards, like a sprinkle turning into a full on rainstorm. The sound became overwhelming, drowning, and deafening. And yet, there was a sense of humility, of rebirth and renewal, a chance for the sun to cut through the dark clouds and spill light upon the darkened earth. The possibility that a boy with a smile as bright as the sun, and a heart as wide as a sky would someday return home.

And by the time the last notes rang through the air, his tears had already streamed down his cheeks and dripped onto the dirt below.

"Uwa," Nozomu breathed, "that was…"

"Beautiful," Soushi finished.

"Ahh, I messed up in the middle again," Ren murmured.

"Eh? You did? It sure didn't seem like it!"

"Nozomu…"

"You played wonderfully, Ren. It's hard to believe you were only taking lessons for such a short amount of time…"

"Sou-nii…"

"…Mori-senpai? Are you okay?"

Morihito snapped out of his stupor. "Ah, sorry."

Ren set his instrument aside. "Senpai, are you alright?"

"Yeah." Morihito wiped his eyes with his sleeve, smiling softly. "I'm alright."

"…Mount Kataku."

"Hm?" Three heads turned to follow Soushi's gaze.

The dark clouds that had been surrounding the landform previously appeared to have vanished, replaced by swirling mist. Even in the darkness of the night, it appeared as though the entire mountain was glowing, emanating with a soft, ethereal light.

"No way," Nozomu breathed.

"Could it..?" Ren's voice died in his throat.

"…I think," Soushi murmured, "the sound really did reach him."

"Sora!" Nozomu jumped to his feet, hands cupped around his mouth. "Sora, can you hear me? Sora!"

"Idiot, what are you—?"

"Sora-senpai!" Ren also rose to a stand, voice calling out along with Nozomu's. "Sora-senpai, are you there?"

"We miss you!" Nozomu screamed. "We all do! We really do!"

The mist continued to swirl.

"Senpai!" Ren called. "One day in the future, I hope we can meet again!"

"All of us!" Nozomu agreed. "I'll learn _shamisen_ too! We'd be able to form a band and play together!"

"I-I want to be able to play with Sora-senpai again!"

"Maybe we'd sing together too! We'd be unstoppable!"

"So you'd better come see us again!" The two juniors turned, eyes sparkling with glee as Soushi put his hands on their shoulders. "We won't take no for an answer, dammit!"

"Yeah! That's the spirit!" Nozomu cheered.

Morihito smiled at the sight, arms instinctively pulling his _shamisen_ closer to his chest.

"Morihito-senpai?" Ren turned. "Do you have something you want to say to Sora-senpai?"

A mish mash of words suddenly began turning and churning and tumbling in his chest, fluttering about like butterflies trapped within a cage.

And before he knew it, he was on his feet, calling out into the void.

"Sora! Let's meet again someday!"

_And next time for sure, I'll be brave enough to share my melody with you._


End file.
